Every year due to global warming and increasing temperature, during the spring season in the Arctic, both the snow and sea ice starts melting. This creates a melt pond which is at the surface of the sea ice. This is considered as a threat due to global warming for the planet, but for the sea life, is it good?
According to Phys.org, researcher Heidi Louise Sorensen, a Ph.D. student from the University of South Denmark recently studied the phenomenon of the melting of sea ice and melt ponds. Other researchers from Aarhus University, Erik Jeppesen, Soren Rysgaad, Ronnie Glud and Bo Thamdrup also contributed to the work. They studied that more light and heat is provided by the melt ponds for the underlying water, which can influence the Arctic sea life.
Heidi Louise Sorensen explains that these melt ponds form a little ecosystem beneath the water. Melting of sea ice in the summers creates algae and other microorganisms which provide food for other marine creatures. Some foods get sunk to the bottom of the sea and get eaten by seabed dwellers. "Given that larger and larger area of melt ponds is being formed in the Arctic, we can expect the release of more and more food for creatures in the polar sea," she said.
SDU reported that when there is more nutrient after melting of the sea ice, it may lead to more life in the sea. Apart from nutrients from algae and other organisms after the sea ice melting, migratory birds or any other larger animals which rest on the ice can also leave behind the sources of nutrients.
There are some more factors supporting life after melting of sea ice. After disappearing off the sea ice, light penetrates down into the water. Wind and storms stir the water upbringing nutrients up to the surface from beneath the deep water. When the mainland gets warmer, creating more meltwater flowing into the sea and carrying nutrients in the sea forming more support for underwater life.
